BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE! (Page 35)

2011-07-15 9:50 AM

in reply to: #3595617

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1191

Sarasota, FL

Subject: RE: BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE!

Steve,

Yes, that is what I was asking about. Just curious as to how you do it. Sounds like you do a lot of "race pace" SBR tempo sessions at race distance to gauge your fitness level.

Been practicing a couple of your "helpful training hints" (mashing/fast rpm on the bike prior to running and forward sighting during the swim). Will see how they work out this weekend. Thanks Coach!!

stevebradley - 2011-07-13 11:22 PM JEFF - No, olympic distance is NOT too short to try to gauge my fitness, but my nowadays formula is pretty simple. You mention race simulation, and that's quite close -- it really is just a bunch of tempo sessions for the requisite distances. In effect, that's a race simulation, but I'm not aiming for similar terrain or including full-scale bricks. I'm really just shooting for the same sustained speed/power as I hoping to nail on race day. I know, however, that no matter how hard I push it in tempo-training, there's always that bit harder I can go on race day -- especially the bike. I don't rely on that, but it's just something that happens 9 times out of 10. It changes some with thr run, as I may do 10km faster in training as a stand-alone effort, but will be able to run through more discomfort on race day -- even if my time is not as fast. that's just frusther eveidence that I am unwilling to slay myself in training, and what I just said doesn't diminish my disappointment, which I have mentioned to you before, that I don't go as deep into That Place in races as I wish I could. I can and do suffer in races....but could go sooo much further with it. maybe, then, I have to return to those days of killer treadmill sessions that verge on being near-death experiences. But even when I did those, I couldn't bring that same I-hate-myself-and-want-to-die commitment to races. In the past, with a hilly race on the horizon I have tried to be more diligent about cycling in hills, but that requires a fair effort to get to a place with challenging hills. So, mostly, I take the smaller hills I can get to and treat them as bigger than they are. That usually means running tougher gears than needed, or pushing myself that much harder to simulate a mountain from a mere molehill. As for heat, i know of some people who will layer in summer, just to simuklate the possibilities of raceday heat. Or, similarly, people who make it a point to do their longer runs in mid-afternoon, as opposed to 5 a.m. or 8 p.m. I have deliberately subjected myself to wicked heat on occasion, but kind of gave that up when I relaized that how my body handles heat is not at all predictable. That is, sometimes I do okay, other times I wilt in the extreme. Is any of the above what you were looking for? Let me know if not, and I will try again!

2011-07-15 9:53 AM

in reply to: #3597845

Expert

1191

Sarasota, FL

Subject: RE: BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE!

manfarr1974 - 2011-07-15 9:32 AM Best of luck to Joe and Denise this weekend!! HYDRATE!! Dump water on your head!! Have fun!

X4 Denise and Joe. Hope you both have super races!!

2011-07-15 5:42 PM

in reply to: #3597831

Champion

10618

Subject: RE: BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE!

JOE -

Any break in the weather forecast? Any break in the weather, period??

Have you managed to fit in any meaningful training, or has it just been either filler, or simply hunkering down?

Which race is it, anyhow?

2011-07-15 6:00 PM

in reply to: #3597854

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10618

Subject: RE: BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE!

MANDY -

As a Buddhist (or even just a seasoned meditator) might say -- observe those feelings, don't evaluate them, allow them to move on.

Really and truly, what you are experiencing is very common amongst people gearing up for an iron. While you might be inclined to fret about being undermotivated and tired and hungry, accept that those are not at all uncommom, and don't let yourself be overly bothered by them.

If hungry, are you in some way trying to repress weight gain? If so, this is a good time to eat to your heart's content, especially if your diet is generally healthy (that is, minimal heavily-processed foods). A lot of people will go to lengths to eat less figuring they don't want to haul around any excess poundage for 140.6 miles, but that is rarely a good tapertime strategy. Just thought I should mention it, but I don't really think that's what you're doing.

Undermotivation is very common, and just comes from the months of focused training......which ain't there no more. Now there's
just this namby-pamby taper crap.....and what the hell is THAT about??

It also comes from just....being....drained, which is often a cumulative low-grade thing. The funny thing about this is thta if you were training for an iron in mid-August, say, you might not feel the effects of overtraining until the taper time for that hypothetical race.

My guess is overtraining, as the three bugaboos you mention are all common manifestations of overtraining. Sooooo -- don't fight this! And also don't try to squeeze in any more truly quality workouts, with maybe the exception of the three-hour ride. I would say, though, to have no goals other than saddletime, and if you feel you wnat to cut it short, do so.

How many century rides have you done? 90-milers? 80-milers? 73.46-milers? I suspect enough of any of those combos, in which case you are well prepared for IMLP. Yeah!

I'm now exploring Friday as my day to bop down to Placid. Are you still figuring on mid-afternoon on Thursday? And where are you staying? I seem to remember you nabbing some choice place that works well for walking for your mom, yes? Who else will be part of your entourage --- Mandy Comes To Lake Placid!!!

2011-07-15 6:26 PM

in reply to: #3598017

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10618

Subject: RE: BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE!

JEFF -

WHOA! That sneaky little line -- "Will see how they work out this weekend" -- sent me scurrying to your race link and lo and behold.....you're doing something called Englewood!

That sounds like a perfect race to play around with a few ideas. Well, maybe not great conditions (non-wetsuit G. of M. swim) to work at forward sighting, but all the more power to you if you can manage that!

Come to think of it, though, for many people it is harder to forward-sight in a wetsuit because they have to work harder to overcome the forward lean that is created by the wetsuit, so Englewood might be perfect for it. And if there is chop that is coming at you from the side, then forward-sighting might be the best way to do it, period.

Englewood jumped me, and I realize I never got around to responding to your post-F.I.T. comments about goal-setting for races. Ack! Well, the short answer for now is that while goal-setting is good, we can't let ourselves be ruled by our goals so that we get frazzled when they aren't being met as the race unfolds. I am a big victim of that when it happens to me, and if I'm not careful it can throw my plans out the window in a heartbeat. This is not such a problem with a sprint, but as race lengths get bigger it can be dangerous -- especially if it's the swim or early in the bike that something falls apart.

Just a quick example of this is from last year's West Point Triathlon, which was a bonafide "A" race for me, and for which I was in greta shape. But a mile into the bike I got a flat which took me over 10 minutes to change, and all I could do was put my head down and ride "angry" and the run the same. I did have a subtle strategy going into the race, but that went to hell in a handcart with the flat and bad change. The result is that I red-lined the rest of the race, and while my end result in the a.g. was quite satisfying, I realized that I could not have survived a similar escapade (red-lining anger, that is) in a longer race. Would I be samrt enough to avoid that trap? Hmmmmm.....

So, it's good to have the ability to recognize when "stuff" happens, and not make things woirse by trying to overcompensate. this all falls into the broad category of "TRAINING AND RACING ARE NEITHER LINEAR NOR PROGRESSIVE", which requires that we have to accept when a race or a training session see,ms to have taken a step or two backwards. I have preached this for years and STILL get myself caught up in the angst of the moment when I check my time for a session and it's slower than what I was aiming for and counting on, so I know first-hand the pitfalls and pratfalls of having goals that aren't met according to plan.

The Englewood swim seems to be a prime setting for this to happen, and maybe it's good that your mentioned goal is based on a technique tweak, as opposed to somehting related to pure time-based preformance. Race swims are usually notoriously risky for goal-setting, as conditions can mess up the best-laid plans.....and if they don't do it, then mismeasurement can. The Eng swim is stated as 437 yards, but if they mismeasure it and it turns out to be 485 yards, well, that's about a minute or so right there. You can come out of the water swearing at your watch and beating up on yourself for not swimming as well as you wanted, and then take that misplaced anger out on the bike........abnd all it really is is somenthing over which you had no real control. So there's chop, and too many bodies, and a mismeasured course, and the plan has gone awry. OR --- it just wasn't your day. Man, if I had a nickle for every training session that didn't go according to plan, I'd be able to buy some really super set of race wheels!

Englewood! Cool! Have a good one, and post asap about how it all goes!

manfarr1974

2011-07-15 7:37 PM

in reply to: #3598966

Expert

701

Caratunk, Maine

Subject: RE: BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE!

Thanks Steve.

I was wondering what was going on, I never had that with HIM or marathon before. I will do my ride tomorrow for sure, I am all set up and want to test nutrition one last time. I was going to run my nutrition plan by you to see what you think.

OHH YAY!! See you on Friday for sure! I have little planned on Friday - I need to check in and stuff...and I am going to the pasta dinner to meet friends (and not eating there because I am kind of weird about that so close to the race.) I am staying at the Northwoods Inn, a very short walk to transition AND we have a kitchen so we can cook our own food - mom will be excited to see you. I will PM you my cell #...I am not sure of my room number yet.

My race # is 312.

Right now the Mandy crew is Mom, my friend Cindy, my buddy Mike (who is volunteering on the swim...and MAY sign up for next year) and my friend Beth.

Hope that hip clears up. Have you thought of ART or anything like that? I am so sorry, that must be driving you bonkers. I hope it heals quickly.

Mandy

2011-07-15 9:06 PM

in reply to: #3599043

Champion

10618

Subject: RE: BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE!

MANDY -

Yes, it is driving me bonkers -- mostly. I am getting lots of mileage from convincing myself that this is a well-deserved step-back season.....but that only works for so long each time. I REALLY do think it is true, but then again I have been aware that one of those might be good for me for a couple of seasons now, and haven't taken one on my own volition.

The cortisone injection worked well for about four weeks and actaully got better as the time passed, but symptoms seem to have returned, at least in part. I would pursue another injection, but the doc who gave it to me is on vacation until August 8. Waaahhhh!

All other modalities have failed, and I think it's because the problem is deep-seated in the ball-and-socket, and is likely nerve-related. It could also be arthritic, or partly so. Bah.

I hate being uselss, race-wise, with the groups. My first three races season went quite well, but they were such disappointing events that I didn't even want to bother with a report; I would just kvetch too much about the problems of the events themselves. I used to think my race reports were actually kind of useful, but so far this season there have been none. (Maybe I ought to do those three retroactively!)

As it stands now, i won't race until at least Aug 7, and more likely the 15th -- if my hip holds up. After that? Who knows!

Yoga is keeping me sane, though, giving me a whole new world to explore and imporve at. I think it was Jeff I wrote to a while back and said that with triathlon, I am not going to improve very much, ever again. I can't afford a coach, and I can't afford big upgrades in equipment, and without those sweet aids I am pretty much at the uppoer limits of my ability. Sure, I can make small strides in all three disciplines, and can still improve transitions some, and my nutrition ALWAYS needs work, but it's really big efforts for small gaisn.

Of course, things change if I become a sprint specialist -- which might hapen if the hip never really resolves itself. Then it doesn't really matter what I do with nutrition, but transitions then become more critical. It also opens up more room for faster swim improvements, as it is easier to push harder for 750m than for 1500m, or 2000m......or your soon-to-be-tackled 4000m. And it's also easier to slay oneself on the bike and/or the run, just by virtue of lass time spent suffering.

Blah, blah, blah!!

As for you, VERY nice support crew you have in attendance. I envy you that. When I did LP, Lynn was there from Saturday until the end of the first lap of the bike, at which point she had to return to Ottawa for a concert. Boo-hoo! My coach's family was there, but they weren't looking for me on-course -- and neither was my A.R.T. person. So, I finished in anonymity*, which overall was okay. Still, I am envious of you and your fan base!

What are your nutritionals-of-choice these days? that is, what are you eating and drinking on race day? Are you EFS across the board, or am I just imagining that?

More later!

*Actually, my A.R.T. person was a catcher, so she was about the first person I saw upon finishing. And my coach had finsihed about 25 minutes ahead of me, so he heard my name and was down at the finsih line within moments. I was grateful for the presence of both!

lufferly

2011-07-16 9:09 AM

in reply to: #3435045

Extreme Veteran

624

Spring TX

Subject: RE: BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE!

JEFF, hope that your race is going well today!

LISA

jrhesq

2011-07-16 10:27 AM

in reply to: #3598951

New user

Swansea, IL

Subject: RE: BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE!

The event tomorrow is a relatively short sprint in Ballwin, MO, about 40 minutes from home. The weather seems to have gotten somewhat more tolerable - feels less humid and the overnite low is supposed to be 75 now rather than 80, with the highs "only" in the low to mid 90s rather than 100. My heat begins at 8 so it will be rather steamy.

Ran 6 miles Thursday but bonked after 5 or so. Discouraging but it was hot. Took yesterday off completely and only swam this morning. I'll update further tomorrow.

manfarr1974

2011-07-16 12:30 PM

in reply to: #3599128

Expert

701

Caratunk, Maine

Subject: RE: BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE!

Ahh Steve, that hip must be driving you bonkers - especially a mover and shaker such as yourself. Try to be patient, I really have my fingers crossed that this sorts itself out soon for you!

Nutrition! SO I have been reading a lot that says your day is often dependant on what you eat 2 days before (news to me). So I am curious about your thoughts on that.

The day before I plan a big breakfast, and smaller and smaller meals (frequent) and a light dinner.

SO. Here is my race day plan:

3:30 AM - up eat Ensure (350 cal), banana, some white toast with honey (if i can choke all of that down, it will be a miracle).

6:45 AM - gel/sports drink (sipping sports drink - EFS - all morning)

SWIM, don't get killed. This is the part I am most freaked about. I think I will be around 1:30-1:40 so BOP for sure.

BIKE - I am carrying on bike: Perpetum, water, Endurolights, Honey Stinger Waffles (2), Honey stinger jellies (1 bag) and 2 gels (REFILL all of this at special needs, so this is for 1 loop) Take a gel at 15 min, then every 35-45 min after that, eat. Sip Perpetum the whole time. Every hour take Endurolight tab. Only refil with water at aid stations. (my aeromount has 2 compartments)

I don't like sports drink, I like water. If my option is sports drink or nothing, I take nothing after a while, so I think this is my best move to get hydration. I ahve done this in training so far it works. That is why no EFS or anything on bike and Electrolyte tabs instead. I am really sick of gels right now, so I am mixing it up. This has worked on my long rides. ALSO will be doing your powder in a bottle trick at Special Needs.

RUN. Water at aid stations. Keep up with teh Electroyte tabs every hour. Every 45 min I need to eat - so I will take gels with me and also will have Perpetum solids. Will probably use the solids more, and they fit in my back pocket really well (in one of those Hammer dispensers).

On the way back from the 2nd loop (so at mile 20ish) I will start taking coke at aid stations. I don't want that boost too early, but I want it.

I am putting a second pair of sneakers/socks in my run special needs bag in case my shoes get really wet from dumping water on my head and I start feeling blisters - I might not use it, but it is good insurance. I don't know what else I would put in there.

SO thems be my race plans oh wise one!! PLEASE tell me your thoughts!

Mandy

manfarr1974

2011-07-16 12:33 PM

in reply to: #3435045

Expert

701

Caratunk, Maine

Subject: RE: BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE!

PS - I like EFS drink, but really like Hammer Products (I forgot to answer that question, but you probably will figure that out from my nutrition plan)

Time in saddle - done for today. Easy swim to cool off today, about 50 min sans wetsuit. TOO HOT for one right now.

kickitinok

2011-07-16 7:57 PM

in reply to: #3435045

Expert

801

Oklahoma City

Subject: RE: BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE!

*chilling....waiting to hear from Denise, Joe and Jeff...hoping everything went well....*

2011-07-16 9:29 PM

in reply to: #3599512

Champion

10618

Subject: RE: BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE!

MANDY -

First, before i forget, maybe try to find the packets of Body Glide powder. They are really thin, and fit unobtrusively in any pocket you might have in any piece of race clothing. I carry one in the bottom thigh pocket of my DeSoto tri shorts, and as sensitive as the princess-and-the-pea to any extra baggage, I never notice the BodyGlide packet. At Mighty man HIM in '09 I used it at about mile 10, as I was feeling a hot spot. It did the trick, as no blister developed.

That is NOT to say that you sghouldn't have a second pair of running shoes, but if something develops in the first 6.5 miles the BG powder might save the day. I will try to find one to bring down to you, just in case you can't find any at the expo, or Placid Planet, or High Peaks Cyclery, or The Fallen Arch (I think i have bought these from them before).

Second ----- That's a very comprehensive plan! Everything up to the swim sounds superb, and if you can't choke down the breakfast items, bring what's left to transition with you and aim to finish it then. All those items will give you a good hit of calories, with lots of carbs involved.

Bike nutrition is likewise solid, and even without a certified sports drink, the Perpetuem will satisfy most of the needs that a sports drink would meet, while adding the much-needed protein. Just a small concern would be to not take in too much protein starting too early, if you have a certain tolerance for protein. But if you have trained extensively with Perpetuem to no ill effect, then you should be fine. And the powder in a bottle at S.N. -- will it be Perpetuem?

As for the run, take your time going through the aid stations and get a good look at all they stock. I remember Snickers at LP '04, and of course chicken broth. YUM! to both of them! I probably hit the Snickers before I got to the turnwaround first time on River Road, but didn't start with the broth until the second "out" on River Road. That was about when I started with the Coke, too.

I guess you know that the drawback to Coke is that once you start using it you have to keep it up -- elsewise, you might suffer a nasty old sugar-crash. This can be avoided as long as coke is at every aid station, especially whrn they are as close together as they are at LP. The only problem might come if they flat-out run out, but here's hoping they err on the side of having too much rather than not enough!

Any "salty" in the plan? If not, hit it at the run aid station. I'm not saying you will need the salt (see my posts to DENISE a day or two ago), per se, but you might really enjoy that variance from the overemphasis on sweety stuff. So petzels, chips, anything they carry that is on the salty side might satisfy a craving that right now you don't see yourself having.

And if yopu're looking to find stuff for run S.N. bag, think salty -- your favorite of whatever. Highway convenience stores often carry snack-size canisters of Pringles, and it would be easy to grab one of these from your bag and go through it before the next aid station, when you could dump the container. I'm not generally a big fan of Pringles, but they work really well for me on long stuff, I guess due to their relative softness, and thinness, and mildish flavor. Just a thought.

My concession to geekiness at LP '04 was to stack about 15 mini-pretzels on my aerobottle straw, and that's how I started my bike ride. This system worked really well for about 10-15 miles, at which time water that had sloshed from the bottle or dribbled down the straw saturated the remaining pretzels (which was about half of them....

), and one by one they sloughed off to the side of the road. Back to the drawing board, i guess....or eat the pretzels more quickly!

Great plan, Amanda!!

2011-07-16 9:32 PM

in reply to: #3599405

Champion

10618

Subject: RE: BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE!

-------------------------- DENISE AT RACINE 70.3!!!!!! --------------------------------

-------------------------- JEFF AT ENGLEWOOD!!!!! ---------------------------------

------------------------- JOE AT BALLWIN!!!! ------------------------------------

Have great days, all three of you. Play the heat wisely, pace yourselves accordingly. See you in your reports!!

2011-07-16 9:34 PM

in reply to: #3595617

Champion

10618

Subject: RE: BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE!

JOE -

WHEW!! about the weather shift. That's a forecast that even heat-wiltin' me would find only just slightly intolerable. May it stay true to current predictions!

2011-07-16 10:58 PM

in reply to: #3435045

Expert

1191

Sarasota, FL

Subject: RE: BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE!

BigSki'ers,

It's late and I'll have to do one of those BT race reports on Sunday. A brief race summation (I did put a little more detail in my BT training log) .... My results were about what I thought they would be going into the race:

Swim: My normal MOP swim was back. A tad over 2:00/100 meters. Steve, forward sighting worked well. Conditions in the Gulf were perfect.

Bike: Good bike. 21.4mph by the Garmie. Steve, I want you to know that your student did pass the "near the end of the race alternating big gear mashing/high rpm" test. I was thinking about those lessons at that point in the race.

Run: Not the greatest but not horrible. 8:22/mile by the Garmie. I thought I would do better and I could give excuses but..... it is what it is.... I know what I need to do going forward to make it better.

Overall: Just a lot of fun!!!!!

Edited by junthank 2011-07-16 11:10 PM

2011-07-16 11:01 PM

in reply to: #3599361

Expert

1191

Sarasota, FL

Subject: RE: BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE!

Thanks Lisa... Had a great deal of fun....

lufferly - 2011-07-16 10:09 AM

JEFF, hope that your race is going well today!

LISA

2011-07-16 11:07 PM

in reply to: #3599833

Expert

1191

Sarasota, FL

Subject: RE: BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE!

Hey Trina,

Thanks for the well wishes. I can tell you I wasn't "chilling" I was "smoking" (and I don't mean I was smoking the course by going fast). I mean... smoking from the heat But it sounds like from your training logs you know exactly what I'm talking about. In fact, it my hotter in your section of the country.

kickitinok - 2011-07-16 8:57 PM *chilling....waiting to hear from Denise, Joe and Jeff...hoping everything went well....*

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=260944

2011-07-16 11:09 PM

in reply to: #3599977

Expert

1191

Sarasota, FL

Subject: RE: BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE!

Did the race report. Here it is:

Edited by junthank 2011-07-17 9:19 AM

jrhesq

2011-07-17 1:15 PM

in reply to: #3435045

New user

Swansea, IL

Subject: RE: BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE!

Race report is up but unfortunately I don't know how to cut and paste a link here. Given what others are accomplishing this weekend, I will sheepishly fill you in on my sprint. Hot and humid at start of race, and hills didn't get any flatter since last weekend. The organizers didn't break out times per event and the strap on my watch broke so i only know my total time. Swim was OK (I'm still slow but getting better). I don't worry too much about transition times yet because I'm not competitive enough where a minute or so is going to make a significant difference in AG. Ran out of the pool, down a sidewalk and across the parking lot to bike rack. Race buddy and I signed up together so were in the same swim heat. He and I left the transition area together on our bikes. The course is a residential area and the roads were not closed to traffic. Didn't experience any traffic problems though and was able to ride in right lane pretty much entire course. Bike course began with a long ascent that had to be 1/2 mile long. Was really huffing and puffing second time thru! Played cat and mouse with several other riders and averaged 18 mph. Fairly happy with that given terrain. Could have averaged 20 or so if flatter course.

Legs were feeling fatigued at start of run and began to really notice the humidity. Again, although the run course went down a different street than the ride, it started uphill. Then another, and another and another. Out and back course with what seemed like only one stretch of maybe a half mile or so where it was flat. I really need to train on hills more. Got passed by several strong runners but was able to pass a few myself by the end.

First time at this event so didn't have any previous times to compare it to. Given the amount of walking I did, I'm pretty sure my run exceeded 30 minutes. This is the area where my times have to improve (the swim is so short - 300 m- that I can realistically hope to only shave a couple of minutes off that portion of the event). Need to continue increasing run endurance and practice hills more often.

Unfortunately, my buddy failed to finish for the second race in a row. Last time he wiped out on a rain slickened bike course and banged himself up too much to finish. Today he rolled his ankle about 2.5 miles into the run and is sporting a nasty high ankle sprain. Event was well run and had several water stations on run course. No first aid tent and absolutely no chow for after race makes it pale in comparison to other local sprint events. Biathlon (5/22) in 3 weeks then another sprint week following that. I need to get a new watch so I can time my splits.

Looking forward to hearing from the true triathletes on this thread concerning their weekend.

JoeK

2011-07-17 9:13 PM

in reply to: #3435045

Regular

108

Crystal Coast

Subject: RE: BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE!

Jeff and Joe,

Congrats on your races. Joe, sorry to hear about your friend and hopefully ice and rest will take care of it. Jeff, sounds like you also like to swim military (left/right/left). If you ever learn the secret to swimming a decent line in an open water race let me know (I pull right). I am not sure I really want to know how much I weave but I am confident I add a couple of hundred yards wandering the course. Anyway...good job guys.

2011-07-18 6:09 AM

in reply to: #3599977

Champion

10618

Subject: RE: BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE!

JEFF -

Good report, fine race! Unfortunately, I lack the wherewithal to bop back and forth betweent he report and here, so i'm doing this from memory -- and have to o my two-fingered pecking style before the memories fade!

Given our talks about pushing hard enough to hurt, that is indeed interesting what you experienced at the end of the run. I can imagine exactly what is going through your head, and you actually expressed it quite clearly in your report.....but now what to do about it?

One thing would be to train either with fartleks, or to try to get more disciplined about how you break up hard sections of your runs. the former is just where you do what you want, whenever it suits you. Feel like picking up the pace for however long? Do it. Feel like shuffling for a hunfdred yards or so? Do it. For the latter, it might be something like 10' warm-up, 5' hard, 10' moderate, 5' hard, 10' cool-down. You can do infinite variations of that sort of plan, staging the intervals and the intensity and the overall disciplined however you want. The goal is simply to get comfortable with pushing speed, and knowing what that feels like -- from your feet hitting to the scream, all the way up to what your brain is screaming at you to do (and how you answer back to it!).

Somewhwre between those two approaches is what I used to do well in the run segments of races, which is what I call "surges". I don't do it so much anymore, aiming for the steady hardish effort throughout (but picking it up in the final however-many meters to the finish). I guess my first steps involved acclimatizing to the hard efforts - the surges - and then over time lengthening them so they camn be held for an extensive period.

As for socks, well, I apologize if I've said this before. This is the frist group I've had, and I KNOW I've said this before.....but to which group, I'm never sure! Plus, I know that few people have the time or inclination to read everything, so I suppose repeating is not sucj a terrible thing. ANYWAY!

My first few years of tri had me wearing socks on both the bike and the run. Then along about '05, maybe, I stopped wearing them on the bike, and that made life so much easier. that is, i no longer had to struggle getting socks on wet feet, and just waited until T2 to put them on when my feet were dry and all the sand, if present, had sifted to the bottom of my cleats. Then I just stpopped wearing socks at all, and of course that simplified matters even further.

So! Try to get used to riding sockless, and then you will never evver have to fuss with drying your feet and/or getting socks onto them. I also mount with my cleats already on my pedals, so in most cases any sand on my feet comes off as I run barefoot to the mount line. Beyond that, though, I worry about very little, and if the ground is wet that just means I have wet feet to start the ride -- no different than the hundreds of rides I've done in rain.

If you never make it to running sockless, then at least you have chosen (T2) to put socks on when most of the time your feet are fairly dry. Almost a win-win!

I will go back to your formal report and see what else I am missing here. Oh! I remember the comment about the Garmin in the swim cap to give you an idea of the extent of your zigzagging. That would be a very cool experiment to do....although I don't know how it would measure that exactly. Is it based on the assumption that when a swim course says it is 500m, say, that it really IS 500m? So then, does it come down to a case where if the Garmin says you swam 583m.....you know you wandered around quite a bit?

2011-07-18 6:13 AM

in reply to: #3600878

Champion

10618

Subject: RE: BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE!

JK -

Welcome back, and thanks for the line about swimming "military" --- that fits me quite well, too, about 70% of the time.

Curiously, one of the best and straightest swims I had was at last year's West Point Triathlon, at the U.S. Miltary Academy. Sir, yes, Sir!

Sadly, though, I flatted on the bike and did not end up having the race I was counting on. Body willing, I am registered for it again, Aug. 14, and hope to fully avange myself on the bike course --- and have anything "straight and narrow" swim!

2011-07-18 6:32 AM

in reply to: #3600323

Champion

10618

Subject: RE: BigSkiesMentorGroup - COMPLETE!

JOE -

No apologies needed for hat you accomplished this weekend compared with others. A sprint can be every bit as demanding as any other distance, and once factors such as heat and hills get through into the mix, many sprrints can be more demanding than olys.

It sounds like you're alrweady figuring out that the specific distances of the disciplines in many races can eoither help you or hurt you. In my case, I try to avoid races where the swim is overlong, as the swim is my weak area. We have a couple of races here where the swim is 1.2 miles, but the bike is about 35 miles and the run is 10 miles -- and that doesn't help me at all.

In your case, the swim at Ballwin was not long enough to compensate for the run to follow, and for you it would help to do a race such as the one I mentioned above -- or any race in which the swim was overlong compared to the run. (Another I'm aware of is in MD, and has a 1-mile swim and a 23-mile bike and a 5-mile run --- great for the "fish" who don't love to run!

And even for strong runners, the Ballwin course sounds fairly miserable. I love running, and I'm not sure I would enjoy that course all that much!

But it sounds like you have a pretty clear idea of where you need to work -- hills. You could probably start off doing very simple and small hill repeats, where you find a moserately challenging hill of anywhere from 200-500m in length, and do a few "repeats" on it -- run up, easy-jog or walk back down, and repeat. the repeat can be just once or twoce more to begin with, and then you can look to different lengths or slope of hills, or just add more repeats.

A lot of hill-skill comes from shortening your stride and leaning forward more, and trying to let gravity help as much as possible. I like to have the feeling that I am quite high up on my toes, but if you try that yourself enter into it verrrrrry gradually -- or else your achilles and calves will complain mightily. But the shortening of the stride can come with no bad side effects, and it always feels nice to lengthen the stride back to normal once you crest the hill. I have a pretty short stride with high cadence anyhow, and even for me I enjoy how it feels to stretch it out after a hill is done!

New watch? Look gffor the Timex Sleek 50-lap model. I have used this model since '03, and it;'s inexpensive and last quite well. It is also very low-profile, although to find the low ones you need to search for the ones that have a big open triangular area at the points in the strap next to the top and bottom of the actual watch itself. There is a newer version of the Timex Sleek 50-lap one that is not as unobtrusive as the one I loe so well.

You have a busy few week ahead of you; I'm envious!